Nau mai, haere mai
Welcome to our 2026 series!
We’ll be exploring the depth and lyrical warmth of Robert Schumann’s piano trios, paired with musical gems from Aotearoa, the USA, India, Turkey and Poland, passing through surreal and unexpected sonic worlds.
Single tickets will be on sale from 11 February 2026. Sign up to our email newsletter to get the latest updates and when we’ll be performing at a venue near you.
Dreamscape traverses vivid musical worlds where memory and imagination converge. Roxanna Panufnik’s Around Three Corners opens with rich textures and unexpected harmonies then Robert Schumann’s Piano Trio No. 1 in d minor follows, full of Romantic passion and lyrical depth. The intimate connection between performer and instrument is explored with inventive, tactile sounds in Claire Cowan’s wood : strings : hammers : flesh, before Charles Ives’ boldly original Piano Trio, blending American folk tunes, raucous humour and experimental techniques into a collage that is by turns nostalgic and witty.
Roxanna Panufnik | Around Three Corners
Robert Schumann | Piano Trio No. 1 in d minor
Claire Cowan (NZ) | wood : strings : hammers : flesh
Charles Ives | Piano Trio
This concert features guest pianist Jian Liu
9 May
Warkworth Town Hall
10 May
Auckland Concert Chamber
16 May
Cambridge Town Hall
17 May
Whitianga
21 May
Palmerston North
22 May
Martinborough
23 May
Wellington
Experience the dynamic energy of Fazıl Say’s Space Jump, vividly portraying a thrilling ascent and descent with vibrant rhythms and textures. Schumann’s Piano Trio No. 2 follows, showcasing lyrical warmth and expressive melodies with underlying jovial optimism. The programme features a new work for NZTrio by Keith Moss, melding inventive textures with contemporary flair, before revelling in Reena Esmail’s Piano Trio, a compelling fusion of Indian raags and Western classical traditions, creating a rich and evocative soundscape that bridges diverse musical cultures.
Fazıl Say | Space Jump for piano trio
Robert Schumann | Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major
Keith Moss (NZ)| New work written for NZTrio
Reena Esmail | Piano Trio
15 August
Hamilton
16 August
Auckland
21 August
Gisborne
22 August
Napier
23 August
Wellington
30 August
Greytown
Reverie opens with a mesmerizing, atmospheric work that gently rocks between dream and reality – Hanna Kulenty’s A Cradle Song – before entering a state of Romantic fervour with Schumann’s Piano Trio No. 3, brimming with lyrical expression. Adam Schoenberg’s Las Estrellas highlights shimmering textures and celestial inspiration, while new commission Icarus on Titan from Karlo Margetič offers a fresh and distinctive New Zealand perspective. Finally, Leonard Bernstein’s youthful Piano Trio provides a taste of his early brilliance and quirky personality, foreshadowing the irrepressible energy of his later Broadway compositions.
Hanna Kulenty | A Cradle Song
Robert Schumann | Piano Trio No. 3 in g minor
Adam Schoenberg | Las Estrellas
Karlo Margetić (NZ) | Icarus on Titan (2026 NZTrio / SOUNZ Tarling Trust Commission)
Leonard Bernstein | Piano Trio
31 October
Wellington
1 November
Whanganui
4 November
Dunedin
5 November
Christchurch
6 November
Nelson
8 November
Auckland
14 November
Kerikeri
15 November
Whangārei
3 December
Rotorua
Single tickets will be on sale from 11 February 2026. Sign up to our email newsletter to get the latest updates and when we’ll be performing at a venue near you.
2026 Series photography by Jen Raoult
Somi dressed by WORLD Brand
Matthias dressed by Crane Brothers
Join us for our 2026 Summer Series – Groove Café!
On tour Feb/March 2026
John Psathas’ Island Songs bring sun, surf, and a dash of Kiwi cool – no sunscreen required. Then you’re kept guessing with Eliodoro Sollima’s Tre movimenti, leaping from atonal intrigue to melodic surprises faster than you can say “cin cin”. Vivian Fung’s Ominous Machine whirs, glitches, and grooves like your favourite gadget on a caffeine rush. And it all ends with Nikolai Kapustin’s Divertissement, the ultimate musical cocktail: equal parts classical poise and jazz swagger, shaken (not stirred) into four sparkling movements.
The Programme
John Psathas (NZ) | Island Songs
Eliodoro Sollima | Tre movimenti
Vivian Fung | Ominous Machine
Nikolai Kapustin | Divertissement in 4 Movements
This concert features guest pianist Stephen De Pledge
